<p>I live in NYC and have frequently spent time in Morningside Heights, Columbia’s neighborhood. I’ve never seen any reason to be concerned about safety there, even late at night. Also, I lived in Harlem for two months. Harlem isn’t entirely safe, but it’s nowhere near as bad as most people assume.</p>
<p>I also frequently visit Philadelphia because I have family in the area. University City, Penn’s neighborhood, felt surprisingly safe as well. Even the time I was in the area late at night, it didn’t feel unsafe at all. The neighborhood is well patrolled by police.</p>
<p>In any case, when evaluating campus safety, street crime is only part of the problem. Drunk students cause many incidents, such as assault, battery, vandalism and the like. These incidents can happen even on campuses in areas with very little street crime.</p>